LAPLACE — Kevin George’s contract as superintendent of St. John the Baptist Parish Public Schools has been extended a year until June 30, 2020.

It was set to expire June 30, 2019; however, School Board members pushed it out 12 months. They had until Sept. 1, 2018, to inform George of their desire to extend the contract or let his employment time with the district expire.

Board members Charo Holden, Ali Burl III, Patrick Sanders, Sherry DeFrancesch, Keith Jones, Shawn Wallace and Nia Mitchell voted to extend the contract.

Board members Gerald Keller and Russ Wise voted against the extension, while Board member Clarence Triche abstained and Board member Phillip Johnson was absent for the meeting, which took place Thursday evening at Emily C. Watkins Elementary.

Keller and Triche did not speak during the meeting about their decisions, while Wise repeatedly stressed more time was needed before a proper decision could be made.

He suggested tabling the agenda item and asked for a special-called meeting before the Sept. 1 deadline.

Neither suggestion garnered support from his colleagues.

The contract extension vote followed an hour of discussion, where more than a dozen members of the public and School Board shared their opinions on the process.

A clear majority of those who spoke expressed confidence in and support of George, citing his engagement with the community, work ethic and positive presence throughout the school system.

Those critical of George’s effort cited poor student performance scores, principal turnover and a lack of transparency in decision making as reasons for a change.

School Board member Nia Mitchell said board members would use the time granted with the extension to devise a new superintendent evaluation system.

“We want to devise a growth plan with actual measurables and deliverables,” she said, adding it would be similar to how faculty members within the district are evaluated.

Following the meeting, George said he was “happy” the Board had enough confidence in him to extend his contract by a year.

He was grateful for the support he received during the public comments and said he takes to heart the criticisms and would figure out how to do a better job.

“Now is the time to create (a superintendent’s evaluation) that is more engaged to the way teachers and principals are evaluated,” George said. “I hold everyone to high standards, and I want to be held to that same accountability. We are working on more rigorous goals that will move the needle.”

George is beginning his sixth year as superintendent and added it’s the first year local public school students didn’t improve in performance under his tenure.

“We have a renewed focus, a new sense of urgency in our District to make sure we are doing everything strategically possible to improve outcomes in our school system,” George said at the start of the last Board meeting.

“Our teachers are hitting the ground running. I have never seen a more organized opening of schools than this school year.”